Chapter 12
The next morning
Hannah was up and around. She was feeling better then; she had in a long time. "So when do you want to have the wedding?" Hannah asked Thierry.
"Well there are a lot of things to consider," said Thierry, almost thoughtfully.
"Such as?" asked Hannah.
"Well who to invite for one. Who's going be best man and bridesmaids and all that stuff for another. Where is the wedding going to take place and who's; going be the preacher," said Thierry ticking off the reasons on his fingers.
"We haven't even set the date yet," said Hannah.
"What about in the spring? Like July for instance," suggested Thierry.
"What about July the 15th," suggested; Hannah.
Thierry nodded, "Sounds fine, but that only gives us a couple of months to plan everything."
"It shouldn't take that long especially since I want a small wedding," Hannah said, reminding him of his promise earlier before she was kidnapped. They discussed it all morning, going over little details that needed to be taken care of.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
Later that afternoon
They caught a plane back to the states and when they arrived at the airport in Las Vegas the next day they, were greeted by Nilsson who was glad to see Hannah was okay. When he had gotten the call from Thierry to send over Quinn and the others, he had wanted to come himself, but Thierry had needed someone to stay behind to look after the estate.
Hannah called her mother right after she got back from Europe and told her she was getting married. Her mother was only slightly surprised. "Oh, that's wonderful honey. When is the wedding?"
"July 15th," answered Hannah. "We're having it up here in Las Vegas." Hannah didn't mention what had happened in Paris. Her mother would have freaked for one thing and never let her out of the house again for another, even if she was all grown up.
"Isn't that a little soon to plan a big wedding?" asked her mother.
"We're not going have to a big wedding. I already told Thierry I wanted a small one," said Hannah. "I don't suppose you could come down here and help can you?"
"Well, I would have to take off from work, but I'll see what I can do," her mother said, happy that Hannah had asked her.
"All right, just call when you get an answer," said Hannah. "I've got to go there's so much to do. I'll talk to you later, mom."
"Bye, Hannah," said her mother.
Hannah hung up the phone and leaned back on the couch she was sitting on, closing her eyes. She sighed and fell asleep only to be awakened an hour later. Someone kissed her softly on the lips and she awoke with a start. She opened her eyes and saw Thierry standing over her. "Oh Thierry, did I fall asleep?" Hannah asked him, as she yawned.
"Yes you did, although I can't really blame you after all you went through and then the long flight," said Thierry.
"What can I do for you Thierry?" Hannah asked as she sat up and yawned again.
"I wanted to know if you got your mother to come down here and help with the preparations for the wedding?" said Thierry.
"She said she would try to get the time off, but she not sure he'll give it to her. She wants to come but . . ." Hannah stopped, letting the sentence hang.
"She's not sure if she can," Thierry finished for her.
"You know the only problem with her coming down here is she is bound to notice the staff looks so young. I mean it doesn't bother me, but it might make her suspicious," said Hannah.
"She might wonder why all of my staff is so young," Thierry said. Hannah nodded sheepishly. "You've made a good point there. I guess we'll just have to play it by ear and hope it all works out."
Over the next few days, everything was going at a frantic pace to get ready for the wedding in time although that was still a month and a half away. Hannah had wanted to shop for her wedding dress, but she didn't want to do that without her mother and her mother had still been unable to get the time off to come and help. When Hannah mentioned it to Thierry, he said he would try to use his influence to get her the time off. Her mother was a paleontologist and when she was studying old bones or something like that it was very rarely she could get away, especially if her boss said it had to be finished by a certain time.
Chapter 13
A few days later
It was 10:00 in the morning and Hannah got a phone call just as she was getting ready to head out and go shopping. She had decided she couldn't wait any longer to go shop for that dress, with or without her mother.
"Hannah, honey," said her mother on the other end of the line.
"Mom I was just getting ready to go shopping," said Hannah, into the phone.
"Well, I don't suppose you could wait for you mother could you?"
"You mean you got the time off?" asked Hannah, surprised.
"Yes, I went into work and the boss called me into his office. He said I had the next 2 months off and that I was going to be missed, but my vacation started immediately. I'll be down there tonight about 9 p.m."
"I'll pick you up at the airport mom, see you then. I love you, good-bye," said Hannah. She hung up the phone and slowly turned and walked out of the room, thinking.
She headed to find Lupe, but ran into Thierry instead. "Thank you Thierry," Hannah said, quietly as she kissed him on the lips.
"What for?" asked Thierry, trying to look innocent and failing miserably for he already knew.
"For talking to my mom's boss and getting her the time off so she could come up and help us prepare for the wedding," said Hannah.
"Oh that it was nothing. I just want to see you happy, that is all that matters to me," said Thierry, as he kissed her this time. Hannah didn't hesitate; she closed her eyes and enjoyed the kiss. She and Thierry were going be together for years or centuries, to come if either of them had anything to say about it.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
That night
Hannah and Thierry went to the airport in Hannah's blue convertible to pick up her mother. When they got there they waited in the airport lobby for the plane to land. Hannah stood at the window and looked out, her hands behind her back a pensive expression on her face. "A penny for your thoughts," said Thierry, coming to stand beside her.
"I was just thinking about all we had to go though just to be together. I mean Maya killed me life after life and I thought you were evil," said Hannah.
"But that's all over now," said Thierry.
"Maybe with Maya, but what about the werewolves that kidnapped me, because we broke the law of the Night World?" Hannah asked him.
"There are always going be people like that no matter where you go, but true love will always live through it. I didn't spend centuries looking for you just to lose you now," said Thierry, with feeling.
Hannah nodded and smiled sadly at Thierry. She then turned back to the window her pensive expression gone, but she was still thoughtful. Thierry knew there was something still bothering her, but didn't pry. She would tell him when she was ready. Finally a few minutes later Hannah spotted a plane in the clouds and somehow knew it was her mother's. Thierry and Hannah met her mother at the gate 15 minutes later. Hannah hugged her tightly and helped her with her carry on bag. Diana Snow shook Thierry's hand and they went off to get her luggage. Once they were all in the car Diana Snow started shooting off questions at a rapid pace.
"So how was Paris?" asked Diana.
"It was great, mom. We went to the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, as well as a lot of other places," said Hannah, as she got on the freeway.
"Did you take any pictures?" asked Diana.
"Of course, I'll show them to you when we get to the house," said Hannah.
"You know Hannah I didn't even know you and Thierry were this close until I finally met him at your college graduation. Then I could see just by the way you looked at each other that it was true love," said Diana.
"Yes, and I'm a very lucky man to have found someone who loves me so much," said Thierry to Diana.
"I'm doubly lucky," said Hannah, with feeling, keeping her eyes on the road. Thierry looked at her with love in his eyes. Diana looked at both of them, knowing they were not telling her everything. They reached Thierry's mansion then and Diana stepped out of the car and looked around. Black roses were worked into the stain glass archway above the door as well as the crowns of the windows. The door opened and a young man, no more then 19 stepped out. He was tall and had long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail. The man silently took Diana's bags and led her upstairs.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
An hour later
Hannah knocked on her mother's door and then entered. "Hi mom; how do you like the room?"
"It's very nice," said Diana. The room had blue walls with white curtains over the windows. The bed was king sized and covered in a comforter of pale blue. The carpet was also blue and so thick you couldn't hear the sounds of your own footsteps. The bathroom off to the right was done in white and had a Jacuzzi tub. The lights were shaped like globes and the floor was done in blue and white marble.
"Mom, what's wrong? You don't seem happy," said Hannah, sitting down on the bed beside her.
"It's just that I'm surprised you never told me you were this close. You used to tell me everything," said Diana.
"Things change, mom, you know when you had to work for my high school graduation?" When she nodded, Hannah continued. "Well, Thierry came down for it and then took me and Chess to dinner. And when you were in the hospital, he was a big help in comforting me and staying with me at the hospital. I was so worried about you, but it all turned out all right in the end." Hannah didn't mention the fact that he had also tracked the bad guys down and delivered them to the police station.
"How come I didn't meet him then?"
"He didn't want to intrude on a family moment and they also wouldn't let anyone, but family; see you anyway," said Hannah. "But what I'm trying to say is I am always going to love you. Just because I'm getting married and moving away doesn't change that."
Diana smiled feebly and hugged her daughter.
Chapter 14
A few minutes later
Hannah came downstairs and grabbed a coke out of the fridge. She sat down on the couch in the living room a few minutes later with a tired sigh. "Getting your mom settled in?" asked Lupe, as she came to sit beside Hannah.
"Yeah, I was just talking to her and apparently she has felt left out because I never told her I was that crazy about Thierry."
"That's mothers for you," said Lupe.
"When I was a kid I used to tell her everything, but I also told her things change and I think she is finally beginning to accept that," said Hannah. "I think she finally realizes I'm grown up." Lupe nodded and took a sip of the coke she was holding. The two friends sat in silence for awhile, drinking coke and enjoying each others company. "You know I think she kind of suspects that things around here are not all there cracked up to be."
"You think she suspect that this house is full of vampires and werewolves?" asked Lupe, only half seriously.
"Maybe not that, but I know she notices everyone in this house is young," said Hannah. "She must wonder why. My mother is not dumb and she is trained to observe." Hannah fell silent again, sipping her coke and thinking.
"In other words it's going to be hard to keep a secret from her," said Lupe.
"If not nearly impossible," responded Hannah. "Maybe with the wedding going on she won't be as compelled to notice." But Hannah knew it was a slim; hope at best sooner or later they were going to have to tell her the truth.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
The next morning
Hannah, Diana and Lupe went shopping. Thierry had practically insisted that Lupe go along as protection, but Hannah didn't mind having her friend along for an extra opinion. After a while, they found a nice little shop called Jackie's wedding apparel. It had everything you could ever want for a wedding. "What do you think?" asked Hannah, as she finished putting on a white dress that went all the way down to her feet. It had a little veil and white hat.
"I don't think that's quite you, Hannah," said Diana. Lupe nodded silently and agreed.
Hannah looked at herself in the mirror then took it off. Her mother handed her another one and Hannah silently took it. Hours later, they finally stopped for lunch, exhausted, but happy with their purchases. Over sandwiches and potato chips, they talked. Diana got to know Lupe a little better although she still thought there was something strange about the girl. Thierry's whole household was strange for that matter as well as Thierry himself she just couldn't put her finger on why she had these suspicions, that's all. The dress they had bought was beautiful. It was white and covered in lace. It had short, puffy sleeves and it went all the way down to her feet. It had a lace veil to go with it and matching shoes.
"Mom," Hannah said after she took a bite of her sandwich, "I'm glad you could get time off to come help me pick out a dress and all the other stuff that goes with weddings."
"I'm glad I could be here to help you through this joyful, but stressful time," said Diana.
After that a comfortable silence fell between the three of them and they finished eating without another word.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
The next day
Hannah showed her mother around the house and Diana commented on how nice everything was. "You sure are going be living in a nice place," Diana commented.
"It's not the place I care about, it's the people," said Hannah. "The people in the place are what make it a nice place to live."
Diana nodded and thought Hannah seems wise beyond her years. Thierry joined them a bit later and he and Hannah didn't have to say anything to show that they cared.
So how's everything going? Thierry asked her telepathically.
Fine although I think my mother suspects something is going on here. She is trained to observe, being a paleontologist and all. And I think, sooner or later we are going have to tell her the truth, said Hannah.
Thierry seemed to sigh and then said, I was afraid this might happen and I guess I should have realized that she would be too smart to be fooled forever, but we are not going tell her unless we have to. To many people knowing about the Night World is dangerous, said Thierry.
I know vampires, werewolves and all the rest of them can be a very unforgiving lot. They would murder a hundred humans in cold blood if it would keep their secret safe, said Hannah, sadly. She did not believe in killing under any circumstances—well expect maybe to protect her life or the life of her friends and loved ones.
And that was proved when they kidnapped you. Just to keep the law of the Night World they would have killed you, said Thierry, angrily in her mind.
I would prefer you never mention that incident to my mother she would be angry and then scared that something else like that could happen again, said Hannah.
Alright if we have to tell her we won't tell her what happened in Paris, said Thierry, for he knew Hannah was right, parents did not tend to take that kind of news well. You know I could always hypnotize her into forgetting if she found out, but I don't want to do that either.
We are not really left with a lot of choices are we? Hannah asked.
Not really, so we need to make a decision and soon because it is only a matter of time before; I or; someone else makes a mistake that will reveal who and what we are, said Thierry.
Hannah mentally nodded and cut the mental conversation, before her mother got suspicious. "So you settling in Mrs. Snow?" asked Thierry.
"Yes, thank you Thierry and please call me Diana."
"You like your room?"
"Yes, it is very nice, thank you," said Diana.
"I hope you enjoy your stay with us Diana," said Thierry.
"Oh, I'm sure I will. You have a very lovely home," said Diana.
"Thank you I decorated it myself," said Thierry. After that conversation lagged for awhile and they continued the tour in silence. The, silence was only occasionally interrupted by Thierry pointing out an artifact or a picture and describing what it was and where it came from. He sure does know a lot about ancient history for someone so young, thought Diana. She started to ponder this as they continued on.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~
The day of the wedding finally arrived and Hannah was broken out in a nervous sweat. She knew she was doing the right thing and she loved Thierry more then life itself, but she was still nervous. Someone knocked on Hannah's door just as she finished putting on her wedding dress "Come," said Hannah. The door opened and Chess entered. They had flown Chess down the week before and she had helped Hannah with a lot of things they might have forgotten without her. "Chess, I'm glad you could be here to see me on the happiest day of my life," said Hannah, hugging her friend.
"I'm glad I could come, but Hannah, why didn't you tell me he was so rich?" asked Chess.
"I thought I did," said Hannah.
"You never said he lived in such a nice place," said Chess.
"Well I don't like to brag," said Hannah.
"Oh, and one more thing, why is everyone so young around here?" asked Chess, although she already suspected she knew the answer.
"They're all made vampires of course," said Hannah. "Oh, Chess you are not to mention vampires around my mother. In fact, act as if you didn't know anything was abnormal."
"You still haven't told her, have you?" asked Chess.
"No, and I don't want to if I don't have to. Too many people knowing about the Night World is dangerous and I've already placed your life in danger by telling you about it. I don't want my mother a part of it unless I have no choice," said Hannah.
Chess nodded and did not respond as she helped Hannah fix her hair. From what she knew about the Night World she agreed with Hannah. The more people who knew about it the more danger they were all in. Some vampires were good like Thierry, but others were not.
~~~Thierry and Hannah~~~